SCIENTOLOGY? What's the deal?

Question

What do you think about this 'scientology' religion, that is so popular with celebrities?

Wow...Thankyou 'ZERO COOL' for that answer, unbelievable.
I've had a real 'eye-opener' with all your comments so far, thanks.

Answer 1

What do I THINK? It's a dangerous, manipulative, greedy, lying, brainwashing cult, that's what I think. And what's more, I've got FACTS to back up this view. Scientology has been PROVEN to commit crimes against the U.S. government, it's own members, any of it's critics, and all of psychiatry. Here are just a few examples (and yes, I wrote this, I didn't copy it from another site):

● Operation Snow White – Under this official program, Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, & theft of documents in government offices. This program constituted the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history. Among the 11 prominent Scientologists convicted of this conspiracy was Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology’s “prophet”.
http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/snow-white/index.html
http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/operation_snow_white.htm

● Operation Freakout - Their campaign of sabotage & violence against Paulette Cooper, the writer who published her research & findings on several cults, including Scientology. Scientology’s official plan: to frame Paulette, ruin her career & reputation & get her either incarcerated or locked up in psychiatric confinement.
The official plan: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Krasel/cooper/frk1.html
Her book: http://holysmoke.org/cos/books/scandal-of-scientology-cooper.pdf

● Fair Game - the Scientology policy detailing how the organization may confront & handle critics & perceived enemies. Here is a direct quote: "Enemies may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm
http://www.planetkc.com/sloth/sci/Fair_game_ord.html

● Physical & psychological punishment: Scientologists who "break the rules" while members of the "Sea Org" must subject themselves to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), which includes regimes of harsh physical punishment, forced self-confessions, social isolation, hard labor and intensive ideological indoctrination.
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html
http://www.lermanet2.com/scientology/gulags/BrainwashinginScientology'sRehabilitationProjectForce.htm
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/rpf/escape_2.htm

● Brainwashing & mind control: Scientology exerts control over its members by means of typical cult tactics, including but not limited to controlling information about internal doctrine & criticism of the organization, severely restricting social contact outside the cult (including the practice of “disconnecting” with any family who question the credibility & trustworthiness of the cult), creating an “us against them” mentality by villainizing a specific out-group (for Scientology, it’s psychiatrists), & claiming all those outside the cult are unenlightened.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.html#toc http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/
http://www.cultinformation.org.uk/faq.html#cult

● Violent Kidnapping - Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist, was involved in a car accident & resultantly became mentally unstable. She was kidnapped from the hospital by agents of Scientology, held against her will, refused proper psychiatric treatment & allowed to STARVE TO DEATH.
Video: http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
News Coverage: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Lisa_McPherson_Scientology_Deaths.html
Website: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

● Tragic Murder - A CBS “48 Hours” special on Jeremy Perkins, the mentally disturbed son of Scientologist parents who, because of the Scientology doctrine of opposing psychiatry, refused to put him on the anti-psychotic drugs that would have stabilized him & prevented him from killing his own mother.
Video: http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php
CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/main2124568.shtml
Website: http://perkinstragedy.org

Answer 2

It's a cult that makes money by exploiting naive people. Scientology has been involved in criminal activity for decades.

On July 8, 1977, the FBI raided Church of Scientology properties in L.A and Washington D.C. alleging that Scientology officials conspired to steal documents belonging to the Federal Government and conspired to obstruct justice by covering up these crimes during a grand jury investigation. About 90,000 pages of stolen government documents, burglary tools and eavesdropping equipment were seized in the raid. Scientologists attempted to portray themselves as a persecuted religion.

The documents seized in this raid exposed an incredible array of cloak and dagger operations undertaken by Scientology’s Guardian’s Office, including bugging the Justice Department, stealing documents from the IRS, setting up church enemies on bomb threat charges, and attempting to destroy the reputation of the mayor of Clearwater, Florida.

Eleven high ranking Scientologists, including L. Ron Hubbard’s wife Mary Sue, were sentenced to federal prison for their part in these actions. L. Ron Hubbard himself was in hiding but was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.

Answer 3

I think it's pretty good.... having been a Scientologist myself for over 36 years. (And I'm not even a "celebrity)

But since you asked "What's the deal?" I'm guessing you don't know what Scientology is, so here's a brief description for you:

Scientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. It is a very practical religion.
All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual as pasrt of his life. It does not conflict.
It is also not a messianic religion. This means there is no worship of prophets or messiahs in Scientology. It is not faith based. A truth should be true according to ones own observation and experience.
The dictionary definition that applies:
Religion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.

The most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.
The whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. and life.And to rehabilitate his native goodness, abilities and potential.
When you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.

How this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. L. Ron Hubbard researched and made new discoveries about the human spirit. He developed technology from these discoveries to apply to increase spiritual awareness and ability.
He completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights
to the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable personal estate, when he died.

He published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"
There are currently over 10 million Scientologists in more than 163 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 53 years old.
The true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:
1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.
2. People find it interesting.
3. People find it works.
4. People pass it along to others.
5. It grows.

This is just an overview.
L. Ron Hubbard explained fully the theology and technologies of Scientology in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books and over 2,000 tape-recorded public lectures.

Hope this gives you an idea of the "deal".

Answer 4

People with money are praised in Scientology. Thats why a lot of celebs are attracted to it.

look at tom cruise before and after Scientology.....complete nut bag. These guys arents the truth.

Answer 5

Scientology = Pure Hokum.

Just goes to show that intelligence isn't a prerequisite for becoming a celebrity.

And that those celebrities clearly have a LOT of money to BURN.

Answer 6

Its just another of the "feel good" practices that people find to entertain themselves and others. The wealthy seem to gravitate to religions that allow them more freedoms and more forgiveness for wrongdoings. Celebs are no exception. It seems that some need this forgivness and the permission of a "blessing" to live their lives.

Answer 7

I have nothing against them and they are entitled to their beliefs, but i think the fact that L Ron Hubbard previously wrote science fiction novels is a bit suspect......

Answer 8

Science changes it's findings to get more grant $.
Grace never changes it's finding: Law Law $ucks.

Fame is the drug many want. It's followed by shame;
Kinda like saved is followed by destroyed in Jude 5.

Do not let education get in the way of your learning.
It's preposterous order to teach first and learn after.

Grace neither tempts(laws) nor can be tempted(lawed).
Grace cannot lie(law) nor die(law). Law Law does both.

The grace(only) of our Lord Jesus->Christ with you->all. Amen.

Answer 9

There is something wrong with any religion that only wants it's members to associate with it's own and to even cut the ties to your family if they are not members.

Answer 10

don't really know any thing about it but i `ve heard it was a made up religion, it seems people want something to follow and a new thing is trendy to follow and especially if the celeb`s endorse it.<<>>

Answer 11

There's nothing spiritual about it. It's science-fiction and built around a money-making scam.